The US -Japan Cooperative Medical Science program was initiated in 1965 by an agreement between the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of Japan. The program consists of several scientific bilateral groups that focus on diseases of mutual concern to the two cultures. The US-Japan Malnutrition panel is one such group. The major purpose of this panel is to foster scientific interaction and interchange through cooperative scientific efforts in selected key areas of nutrition. Annual conferences held alternately in the US and Japan are a major way of fulfilling this purpose. Key selected areas currently are: nutritional assessment (including states of obesity and diabetes), endogenous mediators (cytokines, etc.), polyunsaturated fatty acids (in the broader context of lipids), calcium in bone health, and antioxidants, including their relation to chronic disease. In the next joint conference, to be held in Bethesda on July 18-21, 1991, all five topics will be considered by leading scientists from the US and Japan. Stress will be placed both on molecular, state-of-the-art aspects and on cultural comparisons. As a particular focus, young scientists from both countries will be involved in the program and in other professional events of the conference.